Pleasure turns to frustration

I'm such an insufferable idiot. Look at me: repeating the same mistakes but thinking I won't have the same problems. In that last post I waxed on all high and mighty about my surge in running and frequency and mileage and then *BAM* now my knee is bothering me. DUH!! Sure the plan I laid out was a perfect gradually increasing plan, but I didn't factor in my start. Geesh I hadn't run 3x in one week or that many miles in months!! Then I bust out of the gate thinking I'm Big Brown but instead I'm gonna end up like Eight Belles. I should have worked up slower. I got in my two 3-mile runs this week but I might have to shelve the weekend's 5-miler. Adjustments will be made.

Summary: May 12 - May 18

So far so good. I am chugging along. This past week was a big one for me, well relatively so. I did a bunch of running related stuff that I hadn't done in months: ran 3 times, ran outside for all of my runs, worked up to a 4 mile run and tried two new routes. I am very pleased with myself!

A Grrreat New Run!

I'm still toying with the choice of signing up for the Flirt with Dirt 5K or 10K. Either way, I have got to make it a priority to run more often. Right now, I'm thinking that two weekday runs and one long weekend run will be the schedule that suits me best. Heck, I blew out my schedule for the last 10K and still completed it like a champion. So... schedule, schmedule?

Anyways, I have been logging the commuter miles by parking at my friend's house and walking to work from there. She lives in a cute, charming neighborhood that backs up to a river and a canoe livery. I thought it would be fun to try running around there. The added bonus would be that I'd have my run finished by the time I drove home. I love those time-saving ideas!

I mapped out my route on mapmyrun.com. It was a healthy 3 miles. The route was superb. Most of it was along a dirt road that hugged the tree-lined shore of the river. I didn't have any traffic to battle. There were a great many more hills than I encounter in Plymouth. I suppose it's healthy for me to challenge myself with new obstacles! I deemed it a success. I will definitely add this route to my memory bank.

This is my very very loose schedule for the upcoming weeks if I do plan to run the 10K.

• May 11-17: 3 miles, 3 miles - weekend 4 miles
• May 12-18: 3 miles, 3 miles - weekend 5 miles
• May 19-25: 3 miles, 4 miles - weekend 5 miles
• May 26th -31: 3 miles, 4 miles - weekend 6 miles
• June 1-7: 4 miles, 4 miles - weekend 6 miles
• June 8-race day: 3 miles, ? ?
  

Fast as Flirt

I'm heavily considering signing up for the 10K Flirt with Dirt. (You interested, Alissa?) As I type this it's about 4.5 weeks away. If I want to pull it off, I have to start logging some more weekly miles. It's just hard fitting it all in with overtime, etc. Although, at some point, there are no more excuses. You either make things a priority or you don't. I thought my last 10K was a smashing success, especially considering I hadn't run in the 3 weeks prior and I had been battling some type of cold/flu bug. It'd be really exciting to see what I could accomplish while feeling well and keeping up with my weekly runs.

That being what it is, I dragged myself out of bed at 630 am to get in an easy 3 miles. Man, I did NOT feel like it at all. Ugh. Plus I'd been diddling with my ipod and so I didn't even have a workout playlist prepared.

But I did it.

5/5--5/11 Summary

Last week was a positive week for working out! Twice, I biked from a halfway point to work to log those commuter miles. I had 2 awesome weight sessions. I actually ran for the first time since Florida. On Saturday, I biked to accomplish a small errand and it turned into a 10 mile loop. Then I also logged some commuter miles by parking at a friend's house and walking 3.5 round trip miles to work and back on Saturday while plugging away at overtime hours.

Hip Hip!

Woah, she writes again.

I have a new article up on HAL. It's amazing how all the editing work really detracts from my ability to write more often.

In other news, I biked from a halfway point to work again today.

Now I have saved 15lbs of CO2.

Hoot hoot!

Balance

I'm not talking about achieving balance in different aspects of your life. I am literally referring to your body's ability to do balancing moves. I know the argument for free weights vs machines. I know that the machines make it easier, your muscles adapt quickly to the moves, etc., while with free weights you force your body to balance and stabilize. You never really do execute the same move 100% every time. This post is not about harping on the benefits and drawbacks of either method.

I just started thinking about this the other day when I posted the Move of the Day for HAL and the move was a squat on a Smith machine. This might be my favorite move of all time. I can feel that it works. I know I grow stronger bc I can lift more. However, as I was quickly glancing at some websites, I was reminded of the importance of varying your routine. So with that idea in mind, I set out for the gym this morning, inclined to change it up a bit. (* denotes variation)

• Smith machine (w/ 70 lbs) - 2 x10
• sumo squats (a pair of 10lb dumbbells) - 1x10 *
• single leg presses (85) - 1x12
• double up, single down leg press (100) - 1x12
• standing single leg squats (no weights) - 3x5 *
• lunges on foam (no weights) - 1x10

(I also did my usual circuit of shoulders, chest, back, biceps and triceps. I am pretty consistent about alternating with free weights and machines for the upper body.)

What a wake-up call those new exercises were. (The immediate soreness was the first key.) I used to do stuff like this in PT. It is based on the idea of proprioception. It is a very overlooked aspect of fitness. It is one though that is crucial, especially for runners. I remember a physical therapist telling me of a marathoner who could easily log long distances but she couldn't balance on one leg for even 10 seconds. You can imagine how her failure to develop those peripheral muscles landed her in PT. Proprioceptive training can improve your coordination and reduce your risk of injury during sporting activity. Consistent work will upgrade your strength, balance, and agility and reduce your chances of getting hurt at the same time.

Well this is my public service announcement encouraging you to work on those balancing moves.

For information on some moves and how to do them, click here for an in-depth training plan.

I lost 7.28 pounds!!!!!!!

Hooray!

Hip Hip Hooray!

Okay for any of you who know me at all, you know I don't need to be losing weight and I wouldn't be celebrating the loss either.

Then what am I talking about you wonder.

I logged my bike miles the other day for the commuter challenge and I estimated the distance was about 8.5 miles roundtrip. Again, I wasn't doing it as a "workout," I was doing my good deed for Mother Earth. Well that trip saved 7.28 pounds of CO2 emissions. Pretty cool!!

From low on the gas to full throttle!

I finally made it to the gym this weekend. Hip hip! I had a powerful 30 minutes on the treadmill, then I engaged in an hour of all-over, hearty weights. My legs were screaming by the time I crawled out of there. It was absolutely great though. Then there was a fair in my downtown this weekend so I did plenty of walking around. Plenty. That was great to stretch out my legs. And then today: the full shabang bang! I have been contemplating riding my bike to work for a long time. Unfortunately I think it's pretty unsafe (not to mention damn far) to bike the entire route. I realized that I could throw my bike in my car and bike from a (sorta) halfway point. Well, today I officially did it! I was spurred on by AA's commuter challenge for May (and by knowing what cycling stars Mart and Brit are in Chicago). It's about a 4+ mile route. Nothing that's going to gear me up for the Tour de France, but that's not my goal. I wanted to try it. I wanted to save some commuter miles. I give other people a hard time about not fitting more exercise into their busy lives, so I thought I'd take some of my own advice. Cheers!